Senior Chinese leader urges to properly handle disputes with Japan

BEIJING - China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng on Monday urged for the proper settlement of disputes in China-Japan ties and called on Japan to make efforts to improve the ties.

"To properly deal with the issue of history is the foundation of China-Japan relations, and compulsory in realizing stable development of ties," Yu told a group of visiting Japanese lawmakers, led by veteran Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takeshi Noda.

The Chinese government has a determined policy in developing friendship with Japan, said Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

He called for enhanced people-to-people friendship and more exchange activities.

The two countries should abide by the four China-Japan political documents, enhance trust, cooperate with each other rather than posing threat to one another, he said.

The four political documents refer to the China-Japan Joint Statement inked in 1972, the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1978, the China-Japan Joint Declaration of 1998 and a joint statement on advancing strategic and mutually beneficial relations signed in 2008.

Noda acknowledged the four political documents were the basis of Japan-China ties.

Yu urged both sides to properly deal with and control disputes, and avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Yu called on Japan to seize the opportunity to learn a lesson from the past and make efforts to improve ties with China.

Noda said Japan should take the chance of the 70th anniversary of the end of wars to reflect on its history.

He called for joint efforts from both sides to improve and develop Japan-China ties.